Xinjiang travel guide, must-visit attractions in Xinjiang
Xinjiang chartered tour consultation: 0991-8585456 (same number)
Xinjiang is rich in tourism resources. On this vast land, glaciers and snowy mountains coexist with gobi deserts. The plateau landscape is embedded in world-famous mountains such as the Tianshan, Altai, and Kunlun Mountains, featuring numerous snowy domains, towering peaks, cascading waterfalls, and rare animals. Here stands the world’s second-highest peak at an altitude of 8,600 meters, and there is also China’s lowest-lying area at -154 meters below sea level. It has rivers flowing thousands of miles and vast grasslands, as well as bizarre gobi deserts and mysterious desert wonders. The well-preserved primitive flora and fauna further highlight the unique nature endowed by nature.
[Xinjiang Travel Guide] Must-visit attractions and travel routes in Xinjiang
Urumqi translates to “beautiful pasture” in Mongolian. It is a major transportation hub and a communication center on the Silk Road. The openness and heroism of Urumqi are endearing, attracting countless tourists to experience its unique cultural connotations. Urumqi has numerous beautiful attractions worth seeing. The magical Tianshan Tianchi has the name of “Jade Pool,” a fairyland-like place, dreamy and illusionary. Shuimogou Park scenic area gathers numerous natural landscapes and various cultural relics. These landscapes are the unique natural endowments of the park. Xinjiang Salt Lake, Bogda Peak, and Hongshan Park are all attractions in Urumqi that cannot be missed.
Turpan in Xinjiang tourism
Turpan is a basin region in Xinjiang with numerous classic scenic views. Turpan has left us numerous Silk Road ruins, providing valuable reference material for understanding the Silk Road. The unique ethnic atmosphere of Turpan is also a highlight here. Its special music, dances, and clothing amaze visitors. Grape Valley is where Turpan produces grapes and is thus famous worldwide. In the summer, the rolling heat rising from Flaming Mountain in central Turpan, coupled with the surrounding red mountains, looks like a volcano about to erupt. Jiaohe Ancient City, Kumtag Desert, Kanerjing Folk Customs Park, and the Silk Road are all places worth seeing here.
Yili in Xinjiang tourism
Yili is an autonomous prefecture in the northwest of Xinjiang and is home to a considerable number of ethnic minorities. Yili’s unique mountain landforms and scenery are fascinating, and its embellishments of green trees and red flowers make it a fairyland on earth. The unique mountain shapes and lush forests in the Kuerdining Scenic Area captivate numerous tourists. The scenery of the Nalati Grassland is the most beautiful in Yili. The openness of the grassland brings instant enlightenment and clears away any troubles in one’s heart. Sayram Lake, Yili River, Nalati National Forest Park, and Wild Walnut Valley are all great scenic spots in Yili.
Kashgar in Xinjiang tourism
Kashgar means a place like jade. Its stunning natural scenery and rich cultural landscapes are the highlights of tourism here. Kashgar has a unique climate, coupled with abundant rainfall, making the local area rich in produce and fragrant with fruits and melons. In autumn, the large areas of poplar leaves in Jinhu Yang National Forest Park turn yellow, providing a great visual feast from both near and far. Xiangfei Tomb, Kashgar Grand Bazaar, and Kashgar Old Town are all cultural landscapes worth seeing here.
Must-visit attractions in Xinjiang tourism
Barkol Grassland – Situated in a basin
Nearby attractions: Hui King’s Tomb, Ghazi Tomb, Mingsha Mountain, Baishitou Mountain, etc.
Driving along National Highway 312 on the Silk Road into Xinjiang, the first place you will arrive at is the Hami region. That’s right, the place where Hami melons are produced. Barkol Grassland is located in Hami. It is not as endless as the grasslands of Inner Mongolia, but rather sits in a basin surrounded by continuous mountain peaks. At the tops of the mountains are white glaciers, and halfway up are lush green mountains. What is also unique is that amidst the vast grasslands, there suddenly appears a unique desert mountain, Mingsha Mountain; and suddenly there is a white stone mountain, Baishitou Mountain.
Flame Mountain – You can cook an “omelette” on your car hood
Nearby attractions: Karez Wells, Su Gong Tower, Aiding Lake, Grape Valley, Jiaohe Ancient City, Tuyugou, etc.
The "Eight Hundred Li Flaming Mountains" mentioned in "Journey to the West" is here. Locals call the Flaming Mountains "Red Mountain", which is composed of medium-red sand, conglomerate, and mudstone. Every summer, the intense sunshine shines on the red mountains, creating rolling heatwaves. How hot is the Flaming Mountains? According to local sayings, if you break a raw egg and spread it on the car hood, it will become a "fried egg". There is also a 12-meter-high thermometer standing there, like Sun Wukong’s Golden-hooped Staff.
International Bazaar – You can buy all the local specialties of Xinjiang here
Nearby attractions: Xinjiang Museum, Hongshan, May 1st Night Market, Baiyanggou, etc.
The word "Bazaar" originates from Uyghur, meaning "market". The International Bazaar is located in Urumqi and gathers tourist souvenirs from all over Xinjiang. Including raisins, saussurea involucrata, Hetian jade, lavender, essential oils, tapestries, Cordyceps sinensis, etc., which are familiar to mainlanders. Besides Xinjiang’s specialties, there are also crafts from Central Asia and Pakistan here. It is the "Window of Xinjiang", "Window of Central Asia", and "Window of the World". The Bazaar has a rich architectural style. In addition, as the "hometown of songs and dances", there is also a big stage for song and dance performances.
Tianchi Lake – A浓缩 of the essence of the Tianshan Mountains
If the weather is clear in Urumqi, you can see the magnificent Bogda Peak of the Tianshan Mountains. Tianchi Lake is located in the mountainside area of Bogda Peak, 110 kilometers away from Urumqi. Tianchi Lake is an alpine lake located above 1980 meters above sea level. Because the lake water is crystal-clear like jade, myths say that Tianchi Lake is the magic mirror on the dressing table of the West Queen Mother. It integrates alpine lakes, spruce forests, and snow-capped mountains into one, which can be said to concentrate the essence of the Tianshan Mountains and is known as the "Bright Pearl of the Tianshan Mountains".
Colorful City – Wild asses and gazelles by the roadside
Nearby attractions: Karamay Ungulate Wildlife Reserve, Gurbantünggüt Desert, etc.
Colorful City is located in the second largest desert in China, the Gurbantünggüt Desert. Over billions of years, coal seams, sand layers, and ore beds have formed there. After wind erosion, rain stripping, sun exposure, and lightning strikes, it has formed a "Yardang landform" dominated by reddish-brown, mixed with yellow, white, black, green, and other colors. It looks like a castle from afar or nearby. Near Colorful City is the Karamay Ungulate Wildlife Reserve, which has received considerable attention in recent years. On a self-drive road trip, you can see wild animals such as wild asses, argali sheep, and goiters along the way.
Kanas Lake – Eastern Switzerland
Nearby attractions: Wulungu Lake, Irtysh River, Alashan Hot Springs, Baihaba, etc.
The scenic spots in Xinjiang are countless. If you have to choose where is beautiful, many people will choose Kanas Lake. Kanas is known as the "Eastern Switzerland" because of its special geographical location, where the vegetation landscape resembles the European Alps. Different plant communities are well-layered and colorful. Kanas Lake is like a colorful gem, a paradise for photographers. When visiting Kanas, you can also see the ancient indigenous people, the Tuwa people.
Devil’s City – A "Castle" Blown by the Wind
Nearby attractions: Karamay Oilfield No. 1
Whether in Mongolian or Kazakh, the place is unanimously called the "Devil’s City". The Devil’s City is not a castle but a rare wind erosion landform in China, where various "buildings" have been blown by the wind. Some resemble Hangzhou’s Liuhe Pagoda; some resemble Beijing’s Temple of Heaven; some resemble Egypt’s Pyramids; some resemble Cambodia’s Angkor Wat… The Devil’s City is most terrifying when the wild winds blow and darkness falls, with the sound of flying sand and stones creating a eerie atmosphere. However, during the daytime, you may find beautiful agate stones there.
Sayram Lake – Can see the lakebed up to 10 meters deep
Nearby attractions: Guai Shi Gou (Grotesque Rock Valley), Alataw Pass, etc.
Some people compare Xinjiang’s Sayram Lake to Tibet’s Namtso Lake because Sayram Lake is also an alpine lake, a large alpine cold-water lake. Sayram Lake is known as the "Pure Sea", and the lakebed can be seen up to 10 meters deep. The best time to visit Sayram Lake is during late spring and early summer when the lakeshore is covered with alpine wildflowers. Every July, local Mongolians hold the traditional "Nadam" festival on the grassland by the lake.
Nalati Grassland – The Grassland with the Fattest Cattle and Sheep
Nearby attractions: Ili River, Guozigou Valley, Gongnais Grassland, Tangbula Grassland, etc.
There are many grasslands along the Ili River, among which the Nalati Grassland is well-known. The Nalati Grassland is also a developed grassland suitable for tourism, accommodating thousands of tourists every day. The grass on the Nalati Grassland grows to over half a meter tall. Due to the abundant rainfall, the cattle and sheep here are fatter. Historically, the Nalati Grassland was known as the "Deer Garden" and is also called the "Aerial Grassland" due to its high altitude.
Mount Muztagh Ata – Father of Glaciers
Nearby attractions: Id Kah Mosque, Xiangfei Tomb, Tashkurgan Stone City, etc.
Starting from the southern Xinjiang city of Kashgar and driving towards the Khunjerab Pass on the China-Pakistan border, the journey offers endless scenic views of snow-capped mountains and grasslands. Before realizing it, you have reached an altitude of over 3,000 meters. The huge glacier-covered mountain next to you is Mount Muztagh Ata, known as the "Father of Glaciers", resembling a creamy cake. Mount Muztagh Ata faces the world’s second-highest peak, K2 (8,611 meters), from afar.
Desert Highway – Drive freely through the desert
Nearby attractions: Tarim River, Populus euphratica Forest Nature Reserve
The Desert Highway runs through China’s vast Taklamakan Desert, which covers an area of over 330,000 square kilometers and has long been considered a "forbidden zone for life", making it difficult for tourists to visit its hinterland. However, after the opening of the Desert Highway, self-driving tourists can now traverse it. The Desert Highway is 446 kilometers long and is currently the longest highway built in a mobile desert in the world. It generally takes five to six hours to drive, so make sure to bring plenty of water before setting out.
Xinjiang travel guide, must-visit attractions in Xinjiang
Xinjiang chartered tour consultation: 0991-8585456 (same number)